


Finding Home

by apostapals (apostapal)



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen, Warden Bethany Hawke, handers mentioned winkwink, vigil's keep crew, warden hawke sib gets assigned to vigil's keep and nothing is taking that hc from me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-23 00:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7459422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apostapal/pseuds/apostapals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bethany doesn't think she'd ever be comfortable with the wardens but, then again, life is full of surprises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Home

“I was ready to stay for life, like you’re supposed to, but… things change.” Anders tells her once, of being a warden.

Bethany can’t imagine ever wanting to stay with the wardens forever. She doesn’t want to, she just has to. But if Anders could see it as home once perhaps she’ll find something there.

She finds out three weeks into her training that Warden-Commander Surana is a year younger than her; was a year younger than her when she helped stop the Blight. She writes Hawke and asks them to ask Anders why he never told her.

He includes a note when Hawke and mother write her back that simply says, in his chicken scratch writing, ’ _I didn’t figure it was important._ ’

It is. Bethany can’t particularly say why. But it matters to her. The commander is strong and brave and Bethany swears she eats genlocks for breakfast. And she’s just like her; just a child caught in circumstance and forced to grow up too fast.

When she gets an invitation to some Orlesian shindig, Surana is the one to encourage her to go.

“It’ll make us look good.” she says, playfully adding on, “And you’ll like it. I can tell.”

Bethany, when she’s not dreaming of darkspawn, dreams of fancy parties and a normal life of nobility. Something in the commander can read this.

Surana, Bethany is sure, dreams about something herself. But she can’t figure out what. But she seems wistful sometimes, in a way Bethany understands but doesn’t know fully.

When she sees Hawke there, flanked by Anders and some elf she’s never met, she’s almost disappointed. She’d missed them, yes, but she’d also been hoping for something… normal.

Things were never normal with Hawke around. When everything’s over, betrayal and qunari and the like, she leans heavily on her staff and regards Anders a moment. He smiles at her.

“Must be nice,” he says, “being away from all the Blight talk.”

Bethany thinks of that Howe boy’s deadpan humor, of Surana’s constant maternal teasing, of Alistair’s crummy jokes and how badly Oghren smells. She thinks of Sigrun’s cheery personality clashing directly with Velanna’s lack of patience. She even thinks of that old warhound Surana treats like a prince among mabari. She shakes her head.

“I miss them already.” she admits.

Anders just laughs. “See,” he says, “they make you feel so–”

“At home.” Bethany finishes.

He nods.

“I miss it, sometimes.” he admits, “I’ve got a new one but you… you always miss your first home.”

With that, Anders casts an adoring gaze towards Hawke. Bethany follows, finds her only sibling grinning like a fool over some terrible joke, and sighs tiredly but fondly.

“Oh,” she says, “I know what you mean.”


End file.
